90 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 2, 1883. 
wise, and it cannot be wise in endeavouring to get up a “cholera scare.” 
—J. K S. C. 
DISBUDDING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Chrysanthemum-growecs —those at least who have been accus¬ 
tomed to win prizes for the grand flowers they have produced and are 
hoping to win more—will now begin to watch their plants intently 
with the object of “taking” the buds. Other growers who have not 
yet been successful at exhibitions, but who are strenuously endeavour¬ 
ing to produce blooms of the first exhibition quality, are similarly 
watching for signs of the coming flowers, but not with that equanimity 
peculiar to the veterans, who know what to do under certain circum¬ 
stances, while the young growers have to feel their way, and are often 
greatly in doubt as to how to proceed in the work in question. Not 
a few persons who are giving special attention to Chrysanthemum 
culture for the first time this year not only do not know which buds 
to take and when to take them, but the very terms employed by the 
cognoscenti are more or less enigmatical. In the interests of those, 
theD, who are seeking knowledge, it will be well at the outset to 
explain the terms that are employed in this question, and especially 
to endeavour to show what a “crown” bud is and why it is so called, 
crown bud also. If breaks, mostly three, push from around it, it 
certainly comes under that designation. If breaks issue from the base 
of a bud that bud is a crown bud, because it crowns the shoot surrounded 
by other breaks for continuing the growth of the plant. 
A “ terminal ” bud is so termed because the growth of the plant 
terminates in it—that is to say, no other breaks or growths issue from 
it, but other flower buds cluster round it. Terminal buds are therefore 
always later than the crown buds, and the blooms produced by the 
former are rarely so large as those perfected by the latter—the crowns. 
Let us now look at the illustrations. Fig. 17 represents the shoot of 
a Chrysanthemum with the crown bud not “ taken ”— i.e., not fixed, 
hence it is abortive, the three breaks having appropriated the strength 
of the plant, the crown bud, which might have made a good flower, 
being of no use. 
Fig. 18 represents a terminal shoot—that is, the end of what one of 
the three “ breaks ” above mentioned produce usually, if not invariably. 
The bud at the extremity is larger than the others, and if these smaller 
buds are removed the end one, the true terminal, often forms a good, 
solid, and compact bloom suitable for the front row of a stand. 
Fig. 19 represents a crown bud “taken”—that is to say, the three 
breaks in fig. 17 were timely removed and the strength of the plant 
Fig ] 7.— Natural Growth o£ Chrysanthemum with Breaks, and Crown Bui not set. 
Fig. IS.—Terminal Growth of Chrysanthemum not Disbudded. 
and what a “terminal” bud is and the reason for its designation. 
Even to some experienced growers information on this matter will not 
be unacceptable, for it is undoubtedly a fact that in one district, if 
not more than one, what are really crown buds are regarded as 
terminals, and vice versa. 
The technical terms to be made clear on the subject under notice are 
“ taking ” the buds, “ crown ” buds, “ terminal ” buds, and “ breaks.” 
The term “ taking ” has here a meaning the direct opposite of that 
often conveyed by the word. Instead of taking a bud off the plant, it 
means leaving it on. The bud which is intended to develope into a 
flower is taken possession of, secured, fixed. In this sense the term 
is not a misnomer. If the bud were left unaided to take its chance 
it will either dwindle away or form an imperfect flower ; whereas by 
being taken in hand by the cultivator, all other buds and growths 
being removed from the stem, it developes under favourable circum¬ 
stances into a magnificent flower. 
A “crown” bud means the first bud that forms in the end of the 
growth of a Chrysanthemum, but does not terminate that growth. The 
bud forms in the crown of the shoot, but if left alone, not “ taken,” 
the plant will still extend by producing “ breaks ”—young shoots 
breaking away just below the bud for continuing the growth. When 
the crown bud forms early and is not taken the second bud may be a 
concentrated in the bud, which has increased as shown, instead of being 
deprived of support by the surrounding breaks and left, as it appears in 
the centre of the growths, worthless ; or in other words, if the crown 
bud had not been taken it would appear as in fig. 17 ; but, being taken, 
it is in the condition shown in fig. 19, and on the way for making a 
grand bloom. 
Having made the question of buds clearer than it was before, the 
time and method of taking them may be described. It may be stated 
as a rule that blooms from crown buds are larger than those produced 
by terminals. Nearly all the grandest blooms exhibited are from crown 
buds, but unfortunately the crown buds of some varieties appear too 
early and terminal buds have to be taken. The system of cutting down 
the plants as lately described has the effect of retarding the appearance 
of the crown buds of the earlier varieties and bringing them at the right 
time for taking, say about the second week in August. If such varieties 
as Mrs. Rundle, Mrs. Dixon, George Glenny, Prince Alfred, Mr. Bunn, 
Prince of Wales, White Globe, the Beverleys, Lord Derby, St. Patrick, 
Beethoven, Lord Wolseley—indeed all that flower naturally early, form 
their crown at the end of July or the first week in August, and these 
buds are taken, the flowers are almost certain to be too early ; and it is 
a good plan to push on the plants to the terminal buds and take them 
—that is, remove the others from them, towards the end of the month. 
